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DUKE 

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LIBRARY 


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CLOSE  COMMUNION 

OF    THI 

BAPTISTS, 

IN 

PRINCIPLE  AND  PRACTICE, 

PROVED    TO    BE    UNS  C  RIPTUR  AL,    AND    OF    A 

BAD  TENDENCV 

IT*      THE 

CHURCH  OF  GOD  ; 

IN 

SEVEN    LETTERS, 

ADDRESSED 

TO   THE  FRIENDS  OF   FUNDAMENTAL  TR 
AND    OF 

PRACTICx\L    RELIGION. 


By  RUFUS  ANDERSON,  A.  M. 


SALEM 


PRINTED    BY   JOSHUA    GUSHING, 


JS05, 


4'     ^/.         W/UI.M     £<:<£*  .A 


CONTENTS. 


LETTER  I. 

INTRODUCTION,  and  definite  remarks  on  thefubjecl. 

LETTER  II. 

The  defign  of  the  church  illujlrated,  and  commended  as  a 
ground  of  open  communion. 

LETTER  III. 

1  he  defcriptions  of,  and  the  promifes  made  to,  the  church, 
compared  with  the  prefent  Jlate  of  things,  are  againji 
the  fc  heme  of  clofe  communion. 

LETTER  IV. 
Concejfions  of  the  Baptifis,  in  favour  of  Poedobaptifi  mi- 
mjiers,  are  arguments  againfl  clofe  communion. 

LETTER  V. 

We  fiould  hold  fellowjhip  with  thofe  who  appear  to  have 
fellow/hip  with  Chrift.  His  works  of  grace  in  reli- 
gious Jo  cietics  prove  them  to  be  churches. 

LETTER  VI. 

Clofe  communion  makes  afcbifm  in  the  church-— is  in  op* 
pofitionto  Scripture,  and  to  the  f pi  r  it  of  brotherly  love 
in  the  pious  brethren  among  the  Baptifis. 

^  LETTER  VII. 

The  difa/Jfions  in  the  preceding  letters  unite  to  prove  one 
point.     The  main  inference.     The  conclufioiu 


[      5      J 

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UNSCRIPTURAL,  ckc. 


LETTER  I. 

Introduflion,  and  definite  remarks  en  thefubj 

Christian  Brethrkn, 

YOU  need  not  be  told  that  the  fundamental 
doclrines  of  the  gofpel  are  not  confined  to 
*any  one  denomination  of  Chriftians.     Several  de- 
nominations, diftinguifhed  by  flight  mades  o. 

nee,  appear  to  reft  on  the  foundation  laid  in  Zi- 
Not  duly  from  their  public,  orthodox  creeds  ; 
only  from  their  good  life,  and  their  zeal  in  con- 
tending earnestly  for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the 
faints;  I  i  from  the  incrcafe  of  God,  with 

i  ..i  evidently  favoured;    they  have 

to  our  belief,  that  God  refts  in  his  love 
towards  them.     But,  is  it  not  a  caufe  of  deep  regret 
to  the  friends  of  Zion,  that  brethren,  in  the  "  one 
i,"  are  not  more  vifibly  united  in  the  bond  of 
peace  and  rhutu;  wlhip  ? 

Advocates  ofr  d  rituals  will,  indeed,  fre- 

quently try  the  of  their  different  opinions. 

And  may  they  d  I  go  on  to  I  c  the  fpj> 

)f  ineu       .  ;.rd  to  the  comim.  u 

e,  they  v    .  i  x<  the  cand<     ■         i 

t  which  become  :  n,  too  modeil  to  claim 

ility. 

It 


6  INTRODUCTION    AND 

It  is  not,  however,  by  efforts  of  this  kind,  but  by 
"  forbearing  one  another  in  love/'*  and  by  walking 
together  in  the  "  more  excellent  way,"f  that  Chrif- 
tians  of  different  denominations  are  to  let  "  the 
peace  of  God  keep  their  hearts  and  minds,  through 
Jel'us  Chrift."J 

Since,  therefore,  they  cannot  agree  to  adopt  a 
uniformity  in  circumftantials  of  religion  ;  fince  each 
party  muff  have  a  peculiar  itage-work  of  its  own, 
may  all  parties  be  indulged  ;  let  no  man  forbid 
them.  Their  common  building  is  of  very  great 
magnitude.  Each  may  find  a  place,  at  which  to 
erect  its  own  ftage  with  advantage.  And  may  it 
be  the  endeavour  and  prayer  of  all,  that  there  mould 
be  no  encroachments  to  irritate  ;  no  zeal  without 
knowledge  ;  no  provocations  to  wrath. 

But  with  tears,  if  tears  can  be  fhed  in  heaven,  the 
angels,  who  rejoice  when  a  iinner  repents,  have  to 
witnefs  grievous  diffenfions  among  brethren,  on  the 
fubject  of  modes  and  forms.  As  a  confequence  of 
thefe  diffennons,  do  they  not  behold  many  finners 
hardening  their  hearts,  and  the  ways  of  Zion 
mourning,  becaufe  fo  few  attend  her  folcmn  feafts  ? 

Should  the  friends  of  truth  forbear  one  Another 

in  love,  their  circumftantial  differences  of  opinion 

would  become  favourable  occasions  for  their  fhow- 

ro   the  world  the  excellent  nature  of  Chriftian 

o  t 

ity.  But  when  thefe  differences  of  opinion  are 
magnified,  and  brought  into  the  lift  of  effentials  ; 
when  they  are  made  a  ground  of  entire  feparations 
)ffen live  encroachments  ;  the  Spirit  is  grieved 
in  the  faints,  Zion  mourns,  the  enemy  rejoices,  and 
there  are  fewer  occafions  of  joy  in  heaven. 

It  is  therefore  of  infinite  importance,  that  the 
churches  of  Chrift,  by  an  open  fellowfhip  in  the 
truth,  exemplify  the  fpirit  of  his  religion. 

Christian 

*  Eph.  iv.  2.         f  l  Cor.  xii.  31.         %  Phil.  iv.  7. 


FEFINITE    REMARKS.  J 

Christian  Brethren,  of  every  denomination, 
3  wifli  to  addrefs  you  on  this  fubjecl:. 

We  believe,  that  "  the  church  of  the  Living  God 
is  the  pillar  and  ground  of  the  truth."*  We  fha'd 
alfo  agree  in  the  definition  and  explanation  of  the 
terms.  And  while  I  take  this  indiiputabie  doctrine 
for  the  leading  principle  of  my  addrefs,  it  is  hoped 
you  will  cheerfully  come  into  the  light  it  may  catt 
on  the  duty  of  Chriflian  fellowfhip,  fo  important 
to  the  peace  of  the  churches. 

i.  It  is  the  vifible  churchy  which  is  the  pillar  and 
ground  of  the  truth  :  for  this  is  the  church  in  which 
Timothy  was  required  to  behave  himfelf  agreeably 
to  his  inftructions  on  the  duty  of  a  paftor. 

"  Although  the  fcripture  uies  the  term  church  to 
lignify  the  whole  number  of  mankind  who  {hall  fi- 
naily  be  fanctified  and  faved  ;  yet  more  commonly 
the  term  fignifies  a  particular  fociety  of  Chriftians, 
who  ufually  meet  in  one  place  to  worfhip  God,  and 
to  enjoy  the  ordinances  of  the  gofpel."  Thus  we 
read  of  the  church  of  God  at  Corinth,  and  of  the 
feven  churches  in  Afia.  Each  of  thefe  is  a  vifible 
church  :  and  the  whole  number  of  thefe  in  the 
world  are  the  universal,  viiibie  church.  They  all 
conftitute  but  one  body.  To  this  body  the  apoftle 
appears  to  have  reference,  when  he  fays,  "  And  he 
gave  fome,  apoftles  ;  and  fome,  prophets  ;  and  fome, 
evangelifts  ;  and  fome,  pallors  and  teachers  ;  for 
the  perfecting  of  the  faints,  for  the  work  of  the 
miniftry,  for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Chrift  :"t 
and  alfo  when  he  obferves,  "  God  hath  fet  fome  in 
the  church,  iirft  apoftles,  fecondarily  prophets*  third- 
ly teachers,  &c."J  The  fame  vifible,  univerfal 
church  was  meant,  when  Chrift  faid  to  Ifrael,  "  I 

will 
•  i  Tim.  iii.  15.         f  Eph.iv.  12.         %  1  Cor.  xii.  28. 


INTRODUCTION    A^D 

will  declare  thy  name  unto  my  brethren  ;  in  the 
midft  of  the  church  will  I  ling  praife  unto  the£."* 
4k  Mofes,  it  is  laid,  was  in  the  church  in  the  wilder- 
nefs."f  As  every  conftituted  body  of  profeflmg 
Chriftians  is  a  church,  formed  for  the  worfhip  of 
God  ;  fo  all  thefe  together  are  the  church  univerfal ; 
the  pillar  and  ground  of  the  truth. 

Numerous  appellationsare.  in  Scripture,  given  to 
the  church  of  God.     In  the  Old  Teilament,  Zion  is 
a  name  the  moil  common,  and  it  generally  r 
to  the  vifible  church,  compofed  of  God's  profeiiing 
people. 

2.  The  truth,  of  which  the  church  is  the  pillar, 
is  doubtlefs  the  ejfential  doBrines  of  the  gofpcl.  By 
a  reference  to  the  epiftles  of  Paul,  who  was  fent, 
not  to  baptize,  but  to  preach  the  gofpcl,  thefe  doc- 
trines may,  perhaps  with  the  greateft  precision,  lv. 
afcertained.     The  doctrine,  of  God  manifft  in  the 

ficfh,  ftands  in  the  context  intimately  connected 
with  "the  truth.'' 

3.  It  is  doubtlefs  by  a  doctrinal  and  practical 
manifeftation  of  the  truth,  that  the  church  becomes 
its  pillar  and  ground.  A  pillar  is  fometimes  raifed 
for  receiving  the  infeription  of  remarkable  events, 
to  ftand  for  an  hnperifhable,  public  regifter  ;  and 
fometimes  it  is  raifed  for  the  fupport  of  a  building*. 
In  both  cafes  the  ground  work  of  the  pillar  aids  the 
defign.  In  either  cafe,  the  pillar  and  ground  illus- 
trate the  defign  of  God,  in  founding  the  church  for 
the  difplay  and  fupport  of  the  truth.  How  grand 
the  defign  for  which  God  has  founded  the  vifible 
church ! 

I  am,  SsV. 

*Heb.  ii.  12.     fAtfsvii.  38. 


The  design  op  the  visible  church.       9 

LETTER  II. 

The  defignof  the  church,  as  the  pilar  and  ground  of  the 
truth,  illuftrated  from  facred  hijlory,  and  commended 
to  all  the  churches  of  the  fame  fundamental  principles , 
as  a  ground  of  open  coyimunion. 

Christian  Brethren, 

T  in  fiicc  appears,  that  it  is  not  enough  for  the 
friends  of  truth  to  fimply  believe,  and  to  acl: 
only  in  their  individual  capacity.  They  muft  affb- 
ciate,  and  afTume  the  appearance  of  an  army  with 
banners.  In  the  facred  annals  of  truth,  the  people 
of  God  appear  in  form,  acting  in  concert. 

The  church  on  earth,  like  feed  caft  into  the 
ground,  obferves  an  eftablifhed  law, — "  firft  the 
blade,  then  the  ear,  after  that,  the  full  corn  in  the 
ear/' 

From  Adam  to  Abraham,  the  church  feems  to 
have  appeared  in  the  blade  only.  Then  the  fufferings 
of  the  righteous,  and  the  unchecked  violence  of  the 
wicked,  proclaimed  the  want  of  a  church  in  regu- 
lar form..  After  the  firfl  general  apoftacy,  God 
fent  the  flood  to  deftroy  the  enemies  of  the  truth, 
and  to  fave  his  people  from  entire  ruin.  The  old 
world  being  deltroyed,  the  family  of  Noah  was  put 
on  a  ftate  of  probation  for  the  fupport  of  the  truth, 
and  worfhip  of  God  :  But,  a  general  apoftacy  again 
commenced.  And  although  by  the  confufion  of 
languages,  and  other  direful  judgments,  God  ad- 
monifhed  the  world  of  fin,  and  of  his  righteous 
government ;  yet,  as  on  a  fteep  defcent,  they  conti- 
nued to  depart  from  the  living  God,  and  to  immerie 
themfelves  in  the  grofs  darkneis  of  idolatry. 

B  A 


10  THE    DESIGN    OF 

A  fecond  long  experiment  having  been  made  in 
the  world,  without  the  aid  of  a  church  in  difiincl 
form  ;  and  a  fecond  general  apoftacy  from  the  truth 
having  been  the  evident  remit  j  God  led  Abram 
out  of  Chaldea  into  the  land  of  Canaan  ;  and,  in  a 
covenant  with  him,  he  gave  the  church  a  more  per- 
fect and  vifible  form.*  The  blade  was  firft  :  then 
the  ear.  Since  faith,  even  faving  faith,|  feems  evi- 
dently to  have  been  an  eilential  term  in  this  cove- 
nant, it  muft  have  been  the  covenant  of  grace  ; 
yet  doubtlefs  it  was  the  covenant  of  [Trace  en- 
larged  in  its  promifes  and  privileges,  and  fuit- 
ably  adapted  for  the  ground  work  of  a  church 
adminidration,  in  favour  of  the  truth.  As  a 
token  of  the  covenant,  circumcifion  was  enjoin- 
ed ;J  and  the  profit  of  this  "  feal  of  the  righteouf- 
nefs  of  faith"  was  very  great,  chiefly  becaufe  that 
imtothem  were  ted  the  oracles  of  God."§ 

From  this  noted  era  in  the  annals  of  the  church,  a 
peculiar  people,  feparated  from  all  Others,  made 
their  appearance  in  the  world.  "  They  are  Israel- 
ites, to  whom  pertain  the  adoption,  and  the  glory, 
;he  covenant;,  and  the  giving  of  the  law,  and 
fervice  of  God,  and  the  promifes ;  whofe  are 
the  fathers,  and  of  whom,  as  concerning  the  flem, 
Chrift  came,  who  is  over  all,  God  bleiled  forever, 
Amen."  In  a  word,  the  covenant  made  with  the 
Father  of  the  faithful  was  the  good  olive  tree,  and 
the  Ifraelites  were  the  natural  branches. || 

But  the  principle  of  vegetation  was  flow  in  its 
progreilive  operation.  Circumcifion  was  not 
enough.  After  the  lapfe  of  four  hundred  years, 
the  law  was  added.^T  "  Mofcs  was  in  the  church 
in  the  wiidernefs."**     He  was  in  her  as  a  fchool- 

maifer 

*  Gen.  xvii.  2.    f   Rom.  iv.  11.  Gal.  iii.  17.  \  Gen.  xvii.  1  r. 
§  Rom.  iii.  2 — ix.  4.  ||  Rom.  xi.  21.  %  Gal  iii.  19. 

**Afts  vii.  38. 


THE    VISIBLE    CHURCH.  II 

mailer  to  teach  her  the  law,  that  he  might  lead  her 
to  Chrift.*  The  church  was  then  considered  as  a 
rainor  "  under  tutors  and  governors  until  the  time 
appointed  of  the  father."! 

From  Mofcs  to  Chrift,  the  fyftem  of  inftruction 
was  progreflive.  The  fyftem  of  ritual  laws  was  not 
completely  executed  until  Solomon  built  the  tem- 
ple. From  that  fuccefsful  period  till  the  temple  was 
deftroyed,  prophets  in  fucceffion  appeared  in  the  ci- 
ty of  God.  Their  office  was,  "  to  reprove  in  the 
gate,  to  lift  up  a  ftandard  for  the  people,  to  fay  un- 
to the  daughter  of  Zion,  Behold,  thy  falvation 
cometh:  behold,  his  rewafd  is  with  him,  and  his 
work  before  him."  The  Pfalms,  and  the  writings 
ot  the  Prophets,  exhibit  the  church,  before  the 
tivity,  as  a  considerable  light  in  the  world,  an^ 
the  only  pillar  of  the  truth.     Still,   however,   it  is 

ent  that  the  worfhip  of  God  was  not fufficient- 

ly  defended  againft  the  .  i  ors  of  idolatry.    By 

riment  of  ages  it  was  proved,  that  the  mi- 

niftry  of  the  fons  of  Aaron,  confined  to  the  temple, 

was  not  a  means  adequate  for  diffufing  tha  know- 

;e  of  God  through  the  mafs  of  the  people.  They 

;ntly  needed  an  order  of  men  to  initrucl:  them 
in  their  feveral  cities.  After  the  captivity,  under 
the  adminiftration  of  Ezra,  this  deficiency  in  the 
fyftem  of  iriitruction  was  fupplied,  by  the  inftitu- 
tion  of  the  fynagogues.  From  this  period  till  "  the 
fulnefs  of  time,"  Mofes  and  the  prophets  had,  in 
every  city,  thofe  who  preached  them,  being  . 
to  convenient  affemblies  every  fabbath  day.  The 
knowledge  of  the  truth  prevailed  :  The  : 
prophets  were  not  again  permitted  to  inferibe  the 

:s  of  their  idols  on  the  pillar  of  the  truth. 

As  we  approach  the  morning  of  the  glorious  d 

we  behold  the  church  moi  e  ailimilated  into  the  fim- 

*  Gal.  iii.  24.  f  Gal.  iv.  2. 


12  THE    DESIGN    OF 

pie  form,  in  which  fhe  has  fince  appeared  under  the 
gofpel ;  the  form  of  convenient,  worfhipping  af- 
femblies.  The  edification  of  the  worfhippers,  in 
the  knowledge  and  law  of  God,  was  the  profeffed 
defign  of  every  church  in  every  fynagogue.  The 
event,  however,  proved  that  without  the  aid  of  di- 
vine influences^  "  the  form  of  knowledge,  and  of  the 
truth  in  the  law,"  will  not  renovate  the  human 
heart. 

At  a  dark  hour,  as  it  refpected  the  power  of  relU 
gion,  the  light  began  to  dawn.  To  introduce  "  the 
great  and  dreadful  day  of  the  Lord,  Elijah  the  pro- 
phet,"*"' or  John,  "  in  the  fpirit  and  power  of  Elias," 
appeared  in  the  wilderneis  or  Judea.f  He  was  an 
extraordinary  perfon,  commiffioned  for  the  exprefs 
and  peculiar  deiign  of  making  manifeft  the  Mefliah 
to  Ifrael :  for  this  purpofe,  John  baptized  with  wa- 
ter, as  he  exprefsly  afferts  ;J  in  the  execution  of 
his  high  office,  he  bore  witnefs  to  the  truth,  and 
was  a  burning  and  mining  light  :§  but,  like  the 
morning  ftar,  his  office  was  peculiar,  his  appearance 
in  the  heavens  was  momentary,  he  decreafed,\\  he  dis- 
appeared as  the  fun  arofe  :  he  has  had  nofucceffor. — 
If  Chrift  will  again  need  a  harbinger  to  go  before 
him,  it  will  not  be  till  his  fecond  coming. 

The  Son  of  Cod  having  been  born  in  Zion,  and 
having  been  publicly  inducted,  at  Jordan,  into  his 
office,  as  a  "  preacher  of  rigliteoufnefs  in  the  great 
congregation," — he  fpake,  and  it  was  light ;  "  he 
gave  the  word,  and  great  was  the  company  ofthofe 
who  published  it." 

From  this  grand  era  in  the  hiftory  of  the  church, 
the  ti:  cj  luminous.      To  the  view  of  mankind, 

the 
*  Matt.  iv,  5.  f  Luke  i.  17.  %  John,  i.  31  —  34.. 

§  John  v.  Z^~SS-  I!  John  iii.  30. 


THE  VISIBLE    CHURCH.  ij 

the   church  evidently  ftands  as  the   pillar  of  the 
truth  ;  as  the  light  of  the  world. 

"  The  preaching  of  peace  by  Jefus  Chrifl  began 
in  Galilee;,  after  the  baptifm  which  John  preached."* 
Chrift,  at  the  head  of  his  apoftlcs,  began  the  minis- 
try of  reconciliation  ;  and  founded  the  Christian 
church.  Then,  by  the  events,  the  fellowfhip  of  the 
myftery  was  revealed,  that  the  Gentiles  fLould  be 
fellow-heirs  with  the  Jews,  and  of  the  fame  body.f 
The  numerous  converts  were  not  left  to  languifh 
without  theprovifion  of  Zion.  The  believers  were 
added  to  the  church.  The  great  Shepherd  "  took 
one  of  a  city,  and  two  of  a  family,  and  led  them 
to  Zion,  and  gave  them  pallors  after  his  own 
heart,  who  fed  them  with  knowledge  and  under- 
ftanding."|  To  have  left  his  difciples  without  the 
inftitution  of  a  church,  would  have  been  the 
to  "  reap  the  whirlwind."  Without  pallors,  with- 
out the  ordinances,  and  without  the  Lavs  of  church 
difcipline,  the  Chriilian  converts  would  have  been  a 
confufed  multitude  ;  the  caufe  of  Chriic  would  have 
funk  under  contempt ;  the  truth  would  have  perilh- 
ed.  But  God  was  the  God  of  order,  as  it  appeared 
in  all  the  churches.  They  were  cities  compact  to- 
gether ;  the  laws  of  difcipline  were  executed  ;  and 
"  believers  were  the  more  added  to  the  Lord,  mul- 
titudes both  of  men  and  women."     Thus, 

From  the  foregoing  review  of  facred  hiflory  in 
every  feclion,  we  learn  that  the  truth  has  always  de- 
pended on  the  vilible  church  for  fupport :  no  inti- 
mation is  given  that  God  ever  placed  any  depend- 
ence 

*  Aifls  x.  36,  37.     This  illuftrates  Luke  xvi.  16.     The  la-R- 
and the    prophets    continued  until    John,   and    ended  in  him  : 

,  or  after  that  time,  the  gofpel,   in  the  new  di, 
has  been  preached. 

f  Eph.  iii.  6.  J  Jer.  ill.  14,  15. 


14  THB    DESIGN    OF 

ence  on  aflbciated  bodies  of  men  out  of  his  church 
for  leading  the  truth  to  victory.  To  maintain  tbf 
truth,  and  the  ivorfhip  of  God  in  the  world,  is  ther, 
".mediate  and  chief  de/ign,  for  which  he  has  . 
the  vijible  church  :  for  it  in  face  appears,  that 
he  has  made  the  aid  of  the  church  effentialiy  requi- 
fite  to  the  fuccei's  of  his  word. 

With  this  view  of  the  church,  as  the  pillar  of  the 
truth  given  us  by  the  facred  writers,  1 
my  brethren,  to  compare  the  view  of  I 
given  us  at  this  day  by  the  advocates  of  cloi  . 
munion. 

They  fay  that  the  Baptifts  only  conftitute  the  v  - 
fible  church  of  Chriil :  they  draw  a  line,  which  ex- 
cludes all  Chriftians,  except  themfelves,  from  "  the 
houfe  of  God,  the  church  of  the  living  God,  the 
pillar  and  ground  of  the  truth." 

And  yet  undeniable  facts  oblige  them  to  acknow- 
ledge, that,  in  his  works  of  grace,  God  goes  out  of 
their  church  into  the  Pasdob?ptift  churches,*  to 
raife  up  numerous  and  able  friends  to  love,  to  vin- 
dicate and  to  exemplify  the  truth.  If  the  Bar 
will  judge  the  tree  by  its  fruit,  they  will  doubtlefs 
grant,  that,  for  feveral  centuries  paft,  the  truth  of 
God  has  found  its  chief  fupport,  not  in  their 
church,  but  in  what  they  call  the  world  ;  or  rather, 
in  what  they  call  branches  of  the  church  of  Rome  : 
for  it  muft  be  acknowledged,  that  from  the  era  of 
Luther  to  the  prefent  time,  the  light  of  the  truth 
has  been  a  hundred,  perhaps  a  thoufand  fold  great- 
er in  the  P<sdobapuft  churches,  than  in  the  Baptift.f 

And 

*  Thofe  who  pra&if;  infant  baptifm. 

j  I  refer  to  this  period,  becaufe  it  is  both  the  mod  familiar 
to  us,  and  the  mott  noted  for  the  fuccefs  of  the  gofpel.  For 
feveral  of  the  preceding  centuries,  the  Baptiit  denomination  was 
unknown  in  the  world.  Dr.  Gill,  one  of  the  moft  learned  wri- 
ters among  the  Baptifts,  allows  that  "  infant  baptifm  was  the 

prattice 


THE    VISIBLE    CHURCH,  15 

And  hence,  if  the  P^dobaptifts  are  not  of  the 
church,  but  of  the  world  ;  and  if  the  Baptiils  only- 
are  of  the  church  :  then,  according  to  the  Baptift 
reprefentation  of  the  cafe,  the  light  of  the  truth,  for 
fcreral  hundreds  of  years,  has  been  a  hundredfold 
greater  in  the  world,  than  in  the  vifible  church ; 
and  true  religion  has  abounded  much  more  in 
branches  of  the  corrupt  church  of  Rome,  than  in 
the  true  vifible  church.  Now,  fince  the  principle 
of  clofc  communion  leads  the  Baptifts  to  give  a  re- 
prefentation of  the  ground  of  the  truth  fo  different 
from,  fo  oppolite  to,  that  of  the  Scriptures  ;  we  muft 
luppofe  that  this  clofe  communion  principle  is  op- 
pofed  to  the  Scriptures,  and  to  the  fpirit  of  truth. 
For,  how  can  we  admit  that,  for  hundreds  of  years, 

God 

practice  of  the  church  univcrfally  from  the  third  to  the  eleventh 
century."    This  concefllon  gives  weight  10  the  following  obfer- 

ii  of  Dr.  Wall  : — "  For  the  jii-jl  four  hundred  years  after 
Chrift,  there  appears  man,  Tertullian,  who  advifed  the 

delay  of  infant  baptifm,  in  fome  cafes  :  and  one  Gregory,  who 
did  perhap  ;  pradlife  fuch  delay,  in  the  cafe  <»f  his  own  children  : 

fo  thinking,  nor  one  man  fo  faying,  thai 
lawful  to  baptize  infants.    In  the  next  f even  hut;  .  ihere 

is  not  fo  much  as  one  man  to         found,  ke  or 

practifed  fuch  delay  ;    but  all  the  contrary, 
the  year  eleven  hundred  an 

declared  againft  tin  ing  incapable  of 

falvation,  the  main  body  of  that  ,.ded  their  opinion. 

And  the  feci  that  Hill  held  to  it  quickly  dwindled  away,  and  dis- 
appeared.   And  there  was  nothing  more  heard  of  holding  that 

till  the  y  oenfy-tnuo"     This  v. 

after  the  ton  began  under  Luther.     This 

ment  by  Dr.  Wall  is  corroborated  not  only  by  Dr.  Gill,  but 
alio  by  Mr:  Whifton,  a  man  eminent  in  literature,  who  left  the 
communion  of  the  eftabliihed  church  of  England,  and 
orer  to  the  Baptills.  He  declares,  "  that  Dr.  Wall's  hiitory  of 
infant  baptifm,  as  to  the  facts,  appeared  to  him  moft  accurate- 
ly done,  and  might  be  depended  on  by  the  Baptifts  them- 
felves."  1  give  this  note  to  (how  that,  but  for  the  reafoos  al- 
i:.idy  given,  1  mould  advert  to  former  times,  as  well  as  latter. 


15        THE    DESIGN   OF    THE   VISIBLE    CHURCH. 

God  has  in  a  great  rneafure  permitted  the  truth  to 
forfake  the  church,  and  depend  on  the  world?  Does 
the  word  or  God  srive  the  leaft  intimation  of  fuch 

o 

an  event  ?  Who  can  fuppofe  that  the  vifible  church 
has  not  anfwered  the  grand  defign  of  her  inftitution  ? 
and  that  Chrift,  disappointed  in  her,  and  much 
alienated  from  her,  has  gone  to  the  world,  or  to 
churches  falfely  fo  called,  for  his  principal  advocates, 
to  exemplify  andfupport  his  truth  ?  We  cannot  for 
a  moment  indulge  fuppofitions  fo  evidently  falfe, 
and  injurious  to  Chrift.  To  admit  that  the  Baptift 
brethren,  on  the  article  of  clofe  communion,  have 
imbibed  an  error,  is  infinitely  preferable.  May  all 
unite  againft  an  error,  which  leads  to  fuch  unicrip- 
tural  confequences  ;  and  fince  the  fupport  of  the 
truth,  and  of  the  worfhip  of  God,  is  the  defign  of 
the  vifible  church,  we  are  in  no  danger  of  imbibing 
error,  if  we  fuppofe  that  the  church  includes  all 
thofe  religious  communities,  which  hold  the  head, 
and  by  faith  build  on  the  foundation  laid  in  Zion. 

I  am,  &c. 


LETTER  III. 


BUT    ONE    CHURCH    DESCRIBED.  IJ 

LETTER  III. 

The  defer ipt ions  of  the  church  given  by  the  Spirit  cf  in- 
fpiraiion,  and  the  promifes  made  to  her,  compared  with 
the  prfent  flate  of  things,  forbid  the  practice  of  clofe 
communion  ;  for  it  appears  from  the  mofl  charitable  ef- 
timation,  that  the  Baptijls  are  but  a  fmail  branch  of 
the.  olive  tree. 

Beloved  Brethren, 

THAT  Chriftians,  who  have  our  charitable  hope, 
fhould  be  led  into  the  fcheme  of  clofe  com- 
munion, is  lefs  furprifing,  than  that  they  fhould 
hold  it  faft  as  the  garments  which  cover  them. 
Why  are  they  fo  tenacious  of  a  practice  fo  evident- 
ly fchifmatical  in  the  vifible  church  of  Chrift  ? 
Will  you  not  plead  with  them  until,  by  the  help 
of  divine  grace,  you  reclaim  them  from  this  error 
of  their  way  ?  That  it  is  an  error,  has  appeared 
from  the  foregoing  difcumon  on  the  defign  of  the 
church. 

I  now  proceed  to  a  concife  review  of  the  defcrip- 
tive  and  promiffory  parts  of  the  word  in  favour  of  the 
church.  And  I  proceed  on  the  evidence  of  fafts, 
that,  for  at  leaft  three  hundred  years  paft,  the 
greater  part  of  real  believers  have  been  baptized  by 
iprinkling,  and  have  remained  without  the  limits 
of  the  Baptift  churches :  and,  if  thefe  be  the  only 
churches  of  Chrift',  they  have  remained  without  the  li- 
mits of  the  true  vifible  church.  Such  is  our  forlorn  fitu- 
ation,  if  the  Baptift  defcription  of  it  be  juft.  We 
think  it  is  unjuft,  however,  for  it  is  in  oppofition 
to  the  defcriptive  word  of  God.  His  word  uni- 
formly fpeaks  of  believers  as  fellow-citizens  with 
tHe  faints,  and  of  the  houfchold  of  God;  of  the 

C  church 


1$  BUT    ONE    CHURCH 

church  of  God.*  But,  if  the  Baptifts  be  exclusive- 
ly the  church  of  God,  then  for  feveral  ages  it  has 
come  to  pafs,  that  true  believers,  perhaps  a  thou- 
sand to  one,  have  not  been  of  the  houfehold  of 
God,  but  of  the  world.  Believers  are  in  the  Bi- 
ble called  children  of  the  kingdom  :f  but  in  oppo- 
sition to  the  Bible,  fome  at  this  day  confidently  af- 
firm, that  the  greater  part  of  the  fpiritual  children 
of  God  are  not  children  of  his  kingdom.  In  for- 
mer ages  of  unlimited  regard  to  the  word  of  God, 
as  the  rule  of  faith,  all  his  people  believed,  that 
Chrift  went  into  his  garden  only  to  gather  his  myrrh 
with  his  fpice  ;j  but  now,  if  the  clofe  communi- 
onifts  will  judge  of  the  tree  by  its  fruit,  their  prin- 
ciples will  oblige  them  to  fay,  that  the  myrrh  and 
the  fpice,  the  fruits  of  righteoufnefs,  are  chiefly  to 
be  collected  from  what  they  call  the  common  fields,  not 
enclofed.  But,  indeed,  if  the  fields  be  more  fruit- 
ful than  the  garden,  have  they  not  the  beft  claim 
to  be  called  the  garden  ?  When  Chrift  was  on  earth, 
he  addreffed  his  church  as  the  light  of  the  world: § 
but  now  it  feems,  that  the  principal  light  of  the 
world  is  not  the  church  ;  but  another  body  diftinct. 
from  the  church :  that  is,  if  clofe  communion  be 
right.  When  the  pencil  of  infpiration  was  in  ufe, 
but  one  generation  of  the  upright  was  defcribed,  and 
that  was  accounted  to  the  Lord  for  his  vifible 
church  :  but,  at  this  day>  our  Baptift  brethren  draw 
a  line,  and  make  a  Separation  between  the  upright 
in  heart.  They  defcribe  two  generations.  The  moll 
honourable  name  they  claim  for  themfelves  ;  they 
call  themfelves  the  church  of  God  exclufively  ;  they 
give  inferior  names  to  their  numerous  brethren  on 
the  other  fide  of  their  Separating  line.  We  con- 
tend not,  however,  for  the  higher  feats,  but  for 

truth 
*  Eph.  ii.  19.    f  Matt,  xiit.  38.    %  Cant.  v.  x.    §  Matt.  v.  14. 


DESCRIBED.  19 

truth  and  peace.  "  He  that  exalteth  himfclf  mail 
be  abafed."  Informer  ages,  of  lefs  diflenfion,  the  . 
correct  opinion  was,  that  the  church  only  was  beau- 
tiful as  Tirzah,  comely  as  Jerufalem,  and  terrible 
as  an  army  with  banners  ;"*  but  now,  the  Baptifts 
claim  theie  glorious  things  to  be  faid  of  them  only. 
Where  then  is  the  ground  of  their  high,  exclufive 
claim  ?  They  are  but  a  fmall  people  compared  with 
the  thoufands  of  Ifrael.  In  gifts  and  graces,  \i\ 
knowledge,  and  cbarjcler,  they  are  not  fuppoled  to 
excel  their  brethren.  On  what  ground  then  do 
they  claim  to  be  exclulively  the  hoft  of  the  Lord, 
terrible  to  his  enemies  as  an  army  with  banners  }■ 
The  infidels,  the  enemies,  have  been  forely  wound- 
ed ;  they  have  been  often  defeated.  Who  have  de- 
feated them  ?  Who  have  been  the  angels  under 
Michael  ?  St.  John  fuppofed  they  were  Chriflian 
warriors  in  the  vifible  church.  What  fay  you,  my 
brethren  of  the  Baptift  church  ?  Will  you  not  ac- 
knowledge that  you  have  but  few  names,  compara- 
tively, in  the  numerous  lift  ?  When  you  confider 
the  able  defenders  of  the  faith,  and  the  thpufands 
of  their  brethren,  who  have  obtained  mercy  of  the 
l^ord  to  be  faithful  in  the  Pasdobaptift  churches  ; 
can  you  fay  that  they  have  lived,  and  acted,  and 
died,  out  of  the  communion  of  the  viiible  church  ? 
Yes,  you  can  ;  for  you  will  fay  fo.  O  clofe  com- 
munion !  1  O  thou  feparatir.g  agent  ! !  *  where  is 
the  proportion  of  thy  graces  ?  Is  thy  charity  in 
proportion  to  thy  zeal  ?  Have  thy  humility  and 
forbearance  been  pufhed  into  the  back  ground  ? 
Wilt  thou  fet  the  word  of  God  at  variance  with  his 
works  of  grace  ? 

•    My  fubjecl:  feems  inexhaustible,  as  if  the  whoie 

analogy  of  faith  would  come  to  the  aid  of  open 

ccmmunion.  The 

•  Cant.  vi.  4. 


20  PROMISES 

The  promijfory,  as  well  as  the  defcriptive  parts  of 
Scripture,  fpcak  with  decilion  againft  the  clofe  com- 
munion fcheme.  You  know  that  the  advocates  of 
this  fcheme  declare  the  Paedobaptift  churches  to  be 
fragments  of  the  corrupt  church  of  Rome.  And 
yet  the  Baptift  writers,  with  their  brethren,  grant, 
that  God  gives  an  eminent  increafe  of  grace  in  thefe 
churches,  fo  often  ftigmatized,  as  if  the  mark  of  the 
beaft  were  ftill  on  their  foreheads.  Now  it  is  evi- 
dent that  God  has  not  promifed  to  abide  with  the 
bleflings  of  his  grace  in  the  kingdom  of  Antichrift, 
or  in  communities  out  of  his  church.  Chrift  will 
indeed  caufe  his  fheep,  in  every  part  of  the  world, 
to  hear  his  voice  :  but  then  he  will  bring  them  in- 
to his  fold.  "  The  Lord  hath  chofen,  not  the  world, 
but  Zion  ;  he  hath  delired  it  for  his  habitation. 
This  is  my  reft  forever."  It  however  appears  from 
his  works  of  grace,  that  he  has  chofen  our  Psedo- 
baptift  churches  for  a  habitation  and  reft.  In  them 
are  fulfilled  the  promifes  made  to  Zion  ;  "  I  will 
abundantly  blefs  her  provifion  ;  I  will  clothe  her 
priefts  with  falvation,  and  her  faints  {hall  ihout 
aloud  for  joy."*  Now  if  the  Paedobaptifts  be  not 
Zion,  how  can  we  reconcile  the  works  of  grace 
among  them  with  the  prcmifes  made  to  Zion  only  ? 
Has  God  gone  out  of  Zion,  and  chofen  antichriftian 
churches  for  a  principal  habitation  ?  O  !  how  of- 
ten have  thefe  churches  fhouted  for  joy,  in  feeing 
their  priefts  clothed  with  falvation  ! !  It  remains 
for  the  clofe  communionifts  to  reconcile  thefe 
events  with  the  promifes  made  to  Zion  only.  For 
our  part,  we  think  that  the  fulfilment  of  the  pro- 
mifes in  our  churches  proves  them  to  be  within 
the  limits  of  Zion. 

«Oi 

*  Pfalm  exxxii.  13 — 16. 


TO    THE    CHUR,  a  I 

CJ  Of  Zion  it  fhall  be  iaid,  this  and  that  man  was 
born  in  her.  The  Lord  lhall  coa-nt,  when  he  writeth 
up  the  people,  that  this  man  was  born  there.*5*  Now 
millions  have  been  bcrn  again  in  our  Paedobaptiic 
churches  :  and.  as  Ifaac  was,  have  they  not  all  been 
the  children  of  the  promife  ?  The  promife  being 
made  to  Zion  only,  the  fulfilment  of  it  in  our 
churches  proves  them  to  be  Zion,  u  the  church  of 
the  living  God."  But  the  Bapdits  lay,  No  ;  you 
cannot  be  a  church,  for  you  have  not  been  into  the 
water,  like  Philip  and  the  Eunuch  j  both  into,  or 
under,  the  water  ;  both  priefls,  and  fubjects  of  bap- 
tifxn  ;  both  alike  into  ;  and  after  all,  it  is  added,, 
"  and  he  baptized  him  :"  but  as  to  the  mode  of  the 
Eunuch's  baptifm,  this  verfe  isjilent.  Cn  the  ground 
of  this,  and  a  few  other  difputed  verfes,  the  Baptifts 
fet  their  faces  againft  the  great  promifes  of  God, 
and  the  works  of  his  grace  in  our  churches  y  and 
exalt  themfelves  in  oppofition. 

"  Shall  a  nation  be  born  at  once  ?  for  as  foon  as 
Zion  travailed,  fhe  brought  forth  her  children."! 
This  intimates*  that  God  pours  out  a  fpirit 
er  on  his  people,  before  he  enlarges  them  with  men 
like  a  (lock  ;  for  he  will  be  inquired  of  to  do  thefe 
things  for  the  houfe  of  Ifrael.J  Now  will  the  Bap- 
tifts claim,  that  the  glorious  fuccefs  of  the  gbfpel, 
in  our  churches,  has  been  given  in  anfwer  to  the 
prayers  of  their  Ziou  only  ?  Or  will  they  facrifice 
cloie  communion  for  the  fake  of  truth,  and  acknow- 
ledge, that  the  P^edobaptift  Zion  alfo  enjoys  the 
fpirit  of  prayer  from  God,  according  to  his  word  ? 
Further, 

God  promifes  not  only  to  anfwer  prayer,  but  al- 
fo to  add  the  converts  of  his  grace  to  the  church. 

"  Thus 
*  Pfalm  lxxxvii.  5.         f  Ifaiah  hvi.  8.         %  Ezek.  xxxvi.  37. 


■22  PROMISES,  &C. 

cc  Thus  faith  the  Lord,  O  Jacob,  I  will  pour  my 
Spirit  on  thy  feed,  and.  my  blefling  on  thine  off- 
fpring.  One  (hall  fay,  I  am  the  Lord's,  and  another 
mall  call  himfelf  by  the  name  of  Jacob,  and  ano- 
ther fhall  fubfcribe  with  his  hand  unto  the  Lord, 
and  firname  himfelf  by  the  name  of  Ifrael.*  It  is, 
impoffible  to  reconcile  thefe  promifes  with  the  Bap- 
tift  fuppofition,  that  by  far  the  greater  part  of  the 
promifed  feed  are  lefc  to  live  without  the  walls  of 
Zion.  Will  the  Baptifts  fay,  that  God  is  unfaithful 
to  his  promife  ?  God  forbid.  Then  let  them  break 
down  the  feparating  wall.  Let  them  acknowledge, 
that  the  great  body  of  believers  is  a  father's  houfe- 
hold ;  that  he  takes  care  of  his  family,  and  keeps 
the  faith.  "  I  will  take  you,  one  of  a  city  and  two 
of  a  family,  and  I  will  bring  you  to  Zion,  and  I  will 
give  you  paftors  after  mine  own  heart,  who  fhall 
feed  you  with  knowledge  and  underftanding." 
"  Chrift  is  the  good  fhepherd,  the  fheep  hear  his 
voice,  and  he  calleth  his  own  fheep  by  name.  He 
goeth  before  them,  and  they  follow  him."t  It  is 
good  for  them,  that  he  has  gone  to  the  Father  :  he 
has  given  gifts  to  men  ;  he  has  fent  the  Comforter  ;; 
he  is  in  the  midft  of  the  feven  candlefticks,  and 
holds  the  feven  (tars  in  his  right  hand. 

Since  thefe  things  are  fo,  it  is  obvious,  that  the 
clofe  communionifts  not  only  oppofe  themfelves  to 
the  children  of  God,  but  alfo  deny  his  faithfulnefs  ; 
for,  according  to  their  fcheme,  we  are  required  to 
believe,  that  God  brings  but  few  of  his  people  into 
Zion  :  that,  with  refpect  to  the  greater  part  of  them, 
he  is  unmindful  of  his  promife.  Every  pious  heart 
recoils  at  the  idea.  The  fcheme  is  unfcriptural. 
Although  but  few,  comparatively,  of  the  fubjects  of 

grace 
*  Ifaiah  xliv.  c.  f  John  x.  4. 


CONCESSIONS    OF    THE    BAPTISTS.  23 

grace  feek  admiflion  into  the  Baptift  church,  it  is 
becaufe  God  has  provided  a  church  for  them  among 
the  Fsedobaptifts.  The  principles  of  open  commu- 
nion are  confiftent ;  but  the  principles  of  clofe  com- 
munion are  inconfiftent  with  the  divine  promifes, 
faithfulnefs,  and  works  !  !  This  unfcriptural  fcheme 
muft  therefore  have  a  bad  tendency  in  the  church 
of  God. 

I  am,  Esfc. 


LETTER  IV. 

ConceJJtGns    of  the    Baptifls,    in  favour  of  Padobapi 
minijlers,  confidered. 

Christian  Brethren, 

IT  is  well  known  that  Baptift  minifters,  in  concur- 
rence with  their  people,  are  in  general  willing 
to  commune  with  their  P*edobaptift  brethren  in  the 
pulpit.  And  in  words,  as  well  as  practice,  they  ac- 
knowledge our  minifters  to  be  ambailadors  of 
Chrift.  In  comparing  the  Calviniftic  and  Socinian  ,. 
fyftems,  as  to  their  moral  tendency,  Dr.  Killer,  an  ^u^O^^~- 
eminent  Baptift  minifter  in  England,  reverts  chiefly 
to  the  Calvinifts  of  the  Peedobaptift  churches,  for 
the  bright  examples.  When  he  would  inftance  the 
moft  exemplary  Chriftians,  and  the  Calvinftic  mi- 
nifters the  moft  fuccefsful  in  turning  many  to  righ- 
tcoufnefs,  he  looks  into  the  Paedobaptift  churches, 
and  makes  the  moft  honourable  mention  of  Bunyan, 
Balton,Bruce,  Rutherford,¥ranck,  Whitefield,  Stoddara, 
Edwards,  Buel,  Tennant,  Brainard,  and  many  others. 
Hale,  Franck,  Brainard.  Edwards,  Whitefield,  Thcrn- 

t$n 


24     ■  CONCESSIONS  V^ 

ten  and  Hoktidrd,  he  cotifiderS  as  the  brightefl:  exam- 
ple? of  candour,  and  benevolence  to  men.* 

My  brethren  of  the  clofe  communion  fcheme, 
although  you  acknowledge  them  to  be  ambafla- 
dors  of  Chrift ,  and  invite  them  into  your  defk  ;  yet 
you  exclude  them  from  your  table  ! !  Is  this  con- 
fident ?  Is  not  baptifm  a  prerequisite  as  much  re- 
quired for  pulpit  communion,  as  for  table  commu- 
nion ?  It  feems,  therefore,  that  you  give  them 
fome  credit  for  their  baptifm.  Should  they  deny 
baptifm,  in  every  mode,  it  is  prefumed  you  would 
not  invite  them  to  preach  for  you.  Why  then  do 
you  not  invite  them  to  your  table,  as  well  as  into 
your  pulpits  ? 

Eut  although  you  may  be  a  little  inconfiftent, 
yet  Chrift  we  are  fare  is  perfectly  confident.  Not 
to  animadvert  on  your  ways,  my  principal  argu- 
ment is  from  your  conceffions,  as  they  relate  to  the 
ferfeel  ways  of  God.  Matt,  xxviii.  19,  20,  "Go  ye 
therefore  and  teach,  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in 
the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghoft  :  teaching  them  to  obferve  all  things 
whatfoever  I  have  commanded  you  :  and,  lo,  I  am 
with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world- 
Amen." 

1.  In  this  great  commifHon  of  gofpel  minifterSj 
the  duty  required  of  thein  is,  to  baptize  in  the  name 
of  the  Trinity,  and  to  teach  the  people  to  obferve 
all  things  enjoined  in  the  gofpel :  pofitive  ordinances , 
as  well  as  moral  precepts. 

2.  A  faithful  difcharge  of  the  duty  of  teaching 
all  things,  is  doubtlefs  a  term  without  which  the 
fervants  will  not  be  bleffed  with  the  fulfilment  of 
the  promife. 

3.  The  promife,  in  its  fulleft  fenfe,  is  fulfilled, 
when  Chrift  bleffes  the  labours  of  his  faithful  fer- 
vants, 

*  Pages  26,  45,  144.. 


THE   BAPTISTS.  &$ 

vants,  and  turns  many  to  righteoufnefs  under  theit 
miniftry. 

Now  you  believe  that  the  mcft  numerous,  the 
moil  eminent  and  moll  fuccefsful  preachers  of  the 
gofpel  have  been,  and  are  of  the  Pxdobaptilt  fen- 
timent ;  fuch  as  Whitefield,  Edwards,  and  others 
mentioned  by  Dr.  Fuller  ;  that  Chrift  has  been  with 
them  in  the  vifible  difplays  of  his  grace,  according 
to  the  exceeding  riches  of  his  promife  :  at  the  fame 
time  you  believe,  that  according  to  the  inftru&icns 
of  their  commiftion,  they  were  to  baptize,  and  walk 
in  all  the  ordinances,  as  well  as  preach  the  gofpel. 
But, 

On  the  clofe  communion  fcheme,  how  can  you 
concede  to  the  above,  and  yet  exhib;t  a  coniiften- 
cy  in  your  account  of  the  divine  adminiftration  ? 
As,  in  your  opinion,  thefe  minifters  neither  baptize, 
nor  found  churches,  nor  execute  the  laws  of  Chrift, 
but,  on  the  other  hand,  prevent  the  increafe  of  what 
you  call  the  only  church  of  Chrift  ;    how  can  you 
make  it  appear  that  their  Lord  is  conftitent  in  mak- 
ing them  the  mo/i  fuccefsful  preachers  of  the  gofpel  ? 
Does  Chrift,  in  the  higheft  degree,  fulfil  his  promife 
to  thofe,  who,  in  your  view,  are  neither  themfelves 
baptized,    nor  are  willing  that  others  fhould   be 
baptized  ?     Has  he,  for  feveral  hundreds  of  years, 
entrufted  the  greateft  part  of  his  dilciples  to  the 
paftoral  care    of  aliens    from    the    church  ?       Is 
this   the    manner    of    the    Shepherd    of    Ifrael  ? 
Read  the  hiftory  of  redemption  from  the  era  of  the 
glorious   reformation  under  Luther  and  Calvin  • 
compare  the  Paedobaptift  divines  with  the  Baptift 
divines,  as  to  their  numbers,  talents,  weight  of  cha* 
ra&er,  and  fuccefs  in  writing  and  preaching  the 
gofpel ;  behold,  examine,   eftimate  the  vaft  differ- 
ence in  favour  of  the  former  1 !     What  a  cloud  of 
X),  faithful 


2$  CONCESSIONS    ot    TH£    BAPTISTS, 

faithful  witnerTes  for  the  truth,  and  what  numerous 
feals  of  their  miniftry,  have  appeared  in  our  church- 
es on  the  continent  of  Europe,  in  England,  and 
Scotland  !  It  was  from  their  vineyard  the  noble 
vine  was  taken,  and  tranfplanted  in  America ! ! 
The  fathers  of  New-England  loved  the  Lord  Jefus, 
and  prayed  for  Zion.  In  this  land,  then  inhofpi- 
table,  they  fought  an  afylum  for  the  church,  where 
foe  might  breathe  a  pure  air,  not  contaminated  with 
the  corruptions  of  the  old  world.  That  they 
might,  without  moleftation,  train  up  their  children 
according  to  the  rules  of  the  gofpel,  they  cheerfully 
endured  the  perils  of  the  fea,  and  the  perils  of  the 
wildernefs.  God  remarkably  owned  and  blefled 
them.  We,  their  children,  enjoy  their  labours  :  in 
praifing  God,  we  mould  blefs  their  memory.  But, 
like  the  cold  hand  of  death,  the  principle  of  clofe 
communion  has  griped  fome  of  the  children.  They 
are  Jilent,  while  others  join  their  voices,  and  iing 
how  God  tranfplanted,  not  a  corrupt  branch,  but  a 
noble  vine,  into  America.*  What  fhall  we  fay  to 
thefe  things  ?  The  Pasdobaptift  churches  are 
churches  of  Chrift ;  their  minifters  are  pallors  of 
his  churches  ;  their  baptifm  is  fcriptural,  and  valid 
in  the  view  of  Chrift.  Admitting  the  truth  of 
thefe  proportions,  all  things  appear  harmonious 
and  confident.  But  the  clofe  communionifls,  in- 
denying  them,  deny  the  conliftency  of  the  admi- 
nistration of  Chrift,  as  it  refpecls  his  ambafladors. 
How  falfe  is  the  feparating  fyftem,  which  cannot 
be  made  to  comport  with  the  defign  of  the  church, 
nor  with  the  defcriptions  of  the  church,  nor  with 
the  prornifes  made  to  the  church,  nor  with  God's 

moft 

*  It  fr.ould  not  be  forgotten  that  our  pious  fathers,  the  en- 
lijrbteneil  founders  of  our  religions  and  civil  communities,  were 
Psedobaptifts,  deeply  interefted  in  the  religious  education  of 
their  children. 


ON    FELLOWSHIP    WITH    CHRIST,    &C.  Q.J 

mod  glorious  works  of  grace  in  the  church,  nor 
with  the  confiftency  of  the  meafures  of  Chrift,  in 
giving  paftors  for  the  edifying  of  the  church  I 

I  am,  Qfa 


LETTER  V. 

We  Jhould  bold  fellowjhip  with  thofe  who  appear  to  have 
fellowfhip  with  Chrift .  His  works  of  grace  in  relu 
gious focieties  prove  them  to  le  his  churches. 

Beloved  Brethren. 

IN  imitation  of  Abram,  in  his  addrefs  to  Lot  his 
nephew,  we  wilh  to  addrefs  the  Baptifts.  "  Let 
there  be  no  ftrife,  we  pray  you,  between  us  and 
you  :  for  we  are  brethren." 

The  parable  of  the  ten  virgins  we  fuppofe  exhi- 
bits the  general  ftate  of  religion,  both  in  the  Poe- 
dobaptift  and  Baptift  churches :  and  Chrift  has 
fellowship  with  both,  fo  far  as  they  walk  in  the 
path  of  the  juft.  And  hence  it  is  an  undeniable  in- 
ference, that,  in  imitation  of  Chrifi,  they  fhpuld 
as  brethren,  and  live  in  fellowfnp,  as  churches  cf  equal 
Jlanding  in  Chriji.     But, 

The  clofe  communionifts  object,  that  there  are 
true  believers,  who  have  been  neither  baptized,  nor 
admitted  into  any  church.  Will  you,  fay  they 
to  us,  hold  fellowfhip  with  them,  becaufe*  Chriit 
does  ?  Why  not  ?  we  reply.  We  will  walk  with 
them,  not  as  church  members,  for  Chrift  does 
not  j  but  as  believers.  And  you  will  do  the  fame,  if 
you  love  thofe,  who  appear  to  love  Chrift.  The 
above  is  a  cafe  of  private,  Christian  fellowship, 
which  does  not  apply  to  the  prefent  queftion  on 
church  fellowfhip,      Name  an  inftituted  church  of 

any 


t%  THE    WORKS    OF    GRACE 

any  denomination,  walking  in  the  ordinances,  ac- 
cording to  their  confcientious  views  or  them,  hav- 
ing teftimonials  that  they  enjoy  the  prefence  of 
Chrift  ;  and  of  confequence,  with  their  confent, 
we  fhall  have  a  fufficient  warrant  to  join  them  in 
communion.  A  religious  denomination,  in  which 
Chrift  appears^  does  not  feem  too  unholy  for  me,  or 
for  my  fellow-communicants.  I  feel  fafe  in  fol- 
lowing Chrift,  in  thefe  refpecte,  whitherfoever  he 
goes.  His  example  is  a  guide  infinitely  preferable 
to  all  the  principles  of  clofe  communion.*  I  pity 
the  honeft  man,  whofe  confcience  forbids  him  to 
follow  Chrift.  Saul  of  Tarfus  verily  thought  that 
he  did  God  fervice.  Confcience  is  often  errone- 
ous in  its  dictates  :  and  fometimes  another  princi- 
ple of  the  mind,  of  a  ftiorter  name,  is  miftaken  for 
confcience.  "  Ye  will  not  come  unto  me,  that  ye 
might  have  life." 

2.  The  works  of  divine  grace  in  religious  focie- 
ties  prove  them  to  be  churches  of  Chrift. 

How  do  the  Baptifts  prove  that  they  are  a 
church  of  Chrift  ?    Is  it  by  an  appeal  to  a  few   dil- 

puted 

*  I  lately  afked  a  Baptift,  whether  he  could  commune  with  us 
in  the  ordinance  of  the  /upper,  fuppofing  he  fhould  view  us  all  to 
be  converted,  experimental  Chriftians  ;  and  fhould  fee  Chrift 
perfonally  at  the  head  of  our  table,  and  fhould  hear  him  ad- 
dreffing  us,  in  the  words  of  love  and  friendfhip?  The  Baptift 
replied,  "No,  I  could  not  in  confcience  commune  with  you." 
I  give  this  as  a  fpecimen  of  the  cafe  under  our  eye  in  thefe 
letters  :  for  doubtlefs  there  is,  according  to  the  greater  num- 
ber, as  great  a  proportion  of  pious  real  Chriflians  in  our  churches 
as  in  the  Baptift  churches.  And  if  we  were  all  the  moft  emi- 
nent, heavenly  minded  believers,  the  Baptifts  wo*ld  ft  ill  fepa- 
rate  from  us,  and  call  us  a  corrupt  church,  not  fit  for  the  table 
of  the  Lord.  Some  Baptifts  however  fay,  that  they  feparate 
from  us,  becaufe  there  are  fo  many  unconverted  perfons  ad- 
mitted into  our  churches.  But  fuch  Baptifts  are  either  igno- 
rant of  their  own  principles,  or  elfe  they  are  difhoneft,  being 
^fraid  to  give  the  true  reafons  of  their  feparation. 


DESIGNATE    A    CHURCH.  29 

puted  texts  on  baptifm  ?  Is  it  by  referring  to  hu- 
man authors  tor  an  explanation  of  the  word  bap- 
tizo  ?  Is  it  by  proving,  that  the  gofpel  church  was 
not  grafted  into  the  good  olive  tree,  from  which 
the  Jews  were*  broken  off?  No.  This  is  not  their 
manner  of  proof.  They  endeavour  to  prefent  thcm- 
felves,  to  the  beft  advantage,  "  as  the  epiftles  of 
Chrift,  written  by  the  Spirit  of  the  living  God, 
not  in  tables  of  ftone,  but  in  the  flemly  tables  of 
the  heart."  They  frequently  publifh  to  the  world 
the  work  of  God  among  them,  and  the  additions 
made  to  their  churches.  In  their  converfation  with 
people  of  other  denominations,  they  often  refer  to 
the  fuccefs  of  the  gofpel  among  them,  as  an  evi- 
dence, that  they  are  a  people  of  the  Lord.  And  it 
is  not  uncharitable  to  fuppofe  that,  af  their  baptifm, 
they  are  willing,  for  th^s  end,  to  make  a  good  exter- 
nal appearance,  as  well  as  to  keep  the  heart  with 
all  diligence.  In  adopting  this  fyftcm  of  evidence 
in  their  favour,  they  act  on  the  well  known  max- 
im, "  By  their  fruits  {hall  ye  know  them."  It  is 
only  by  keeping  the  commandments,  and  difplay- 
ing  the  fruit  of  the  Spirit,  that  any  denomination 
can  give  ample  proof,  that  they  are  the  difciples 
and  church  of  Chrift.  And  1  frankly  acknowledge, 
that  it  is  by  documents  of  the  above  kind  I 
am  led  to  believe,  that  the  Baptifts  are  a  church  of 
God.  Although  in  our  view  they  err,  efpecialiy 
in  clofe  communion  ;  yet,  to  honour  God,  we  fub- 
mit  to  the  evidence  prefentedin  his  works  of  grace 
among  them. 

And,  ipdeed,  do  not  the  Baptills  wijh  us,  in 
judging  of  them,  to  adopt  the  above  rule,  to  give 
due  credit  to  the  above  evidence,  and  to  conclude, 
according  to  the  evidence,  that  they  are  a  church 
of  Chrift?    We  know  they  wiih   as  to  candidly 

meet 


JO  THfi    WORKS    0?    GRACE 

meet  their  fyftem  of  evidence.  Juft  fo  we,  on 
our  part  exhibit  to  the  world  a  fimilar  Syftem 
of  evidence  :  and  to  the  Baptifts  we  fay,  "  As  ye- 
would  that  men  fhould  do  to  you,  do  ye  alfo  to 
them  likewiSe."*  Behold  the  wonderful  works  of 
God,  for  centuries  paft,  in  our  churches,  both  in 
Europe  and  America.  The  evidence  from  the  dis- 
plays of  grace  is  a  thoufand  fold  in  our  favour,  as 
it  appears  from  the  hiftory  of  the  facts. 

And  now,  brethren  of  the  Baptift  communion, 
will  you  not  apply  the  golden  rule  of  Chrift  to 
our  churches,  and  do  to  us  as  ye  would  that  we 
fhould  do  to  you  ?  If  you  will  honeftly  decide  the 
cafe  by  this  rule,  the  debate,  on  clofe  communion 
will  be  at  an  end ;  you  will  regard  our  cTmrches, 
and  reject  the  Separating  principle  as  antichriftian. 

Take  an  impartial  review  of  the  Congregational 
churches  of  New-England  from  the  period  of  the 
firft  Settlements  at  Plymouth  and  Salem  :  and  then 
review  the  Baptift  churches  on  the  fame  ground, 
moft  of  which  are  of  a  late  date,  having  been  ga- 
thered within  the  laft  forty  years.  Compare  the 
two  denominations,  as  to  every  thing  "  more  ex- 
cellent ;"  as  to  judgment,  mercy,  and  the  love  of 
God  ;  as  to  "numbers,  talents,  and  able,  zealous,  ex- 
perimental defenders  of  the  faith :  and  can  you  fay 
of  yourfelves,  -c  We  are  the  people,  and  wifdom 
Shall  die  with  us  V  Is  there  yet  a  church  of  Chrift 
at  Plymouth,  the  place  of  our  fathers*  Sepulchres  ? 
Let  the  queftion  be  decided  by  their  fruits ;  not 
by  the  contracted  principles  of  clofe  communion. 
When  was  the  noble  vine  firft  planted  in  Salem ; 
the  firft  Settlement  of  MafTachufetts  ?  The  Baptifts 
fay,  Not  before  the  laft  year,  when  they  gathered 
a  church  in  the  place.      But  all  honeft  people  will 

have 
*  Luke  vi.  3  r. 


DESIGNATE    A    CHURCH.  $t 

have  the  queflion  decided  by  the  apparent  fruits  of 
righteoumefs.  And  if  the  Baptifts  claim  to  be  the 
only  righteous  of  that  town,  it  is  pertinent  to  afk, 
"Are  the  righteous  more  excellent  than  their  neigh- 
bours ?"* 

It  is  thought  that  the  Baptifts  fomedmes  refer  to 
their  happy  experience,  at  the  moment,  to  prove  that, 
immerfion  is  the  only  right  mode  of  baptifm.  But, 
not  to  plead,  in  extenuation,  the  invigorating  effect 
which  a  cold  water  bath  has  on  the  animal  fpirits, 
" If  it  were  expedient" — 2  Cor.  xii.  1 — we  of  the 
Paedobaptift  communion  could  profefs  an  equal  ex- 
perience with  the  Baptifts,  as  it  refpects  the  finer 
feelings  of  the  heart.  We  could  refer  to  the  moft 
happy  feafons  of  fecret  devotion,  no  human  eye 
beholding  us  to  affect  our  minds,  when  we  have 
feemed  to  give  the  moft  cordial  thanks,  that  we 
had  been  early  dedicated  to  God  in  baptifm.  Mi- 
nifters  could  fpeak  of  their  brighteft  views,  and 
greateft  enlargement  in  prayer,  when  they  have 
baptized  infants.  Parents  could  relate  their  happy 
fellowfhip  with  Chrift,  in  prefenting  their  children 
to  him  publicly  in  baptifm,  and  in  hearing  him 
fay,  "  Forbid  them  not ;  for  of  fuch  is  the  kingdom 
of  heaven. "f  At  the  ordinance  of  the  Lord's  fup- 
per,  how  often  have  Paedobaptifts  met  with  Chrift 
at  his  table,  who  faid  unto  them,  "Eat,  O  friends; 
drink  abundantly,  O  beloved  !"  What  then  fhall 
be  faid  to  thefe  things  ?  Have  the  clofe  commu* 
nionifts  a  tingle  exclufive  evidence,  to  prove  that 
they  only  are  the  people  of  God  ?  Where  is  their 
exclufive  charter  to  fupport  their  exclufive  claims 
of  being  called  the  only  vifible  church,  as  if  all  others 
were  vifibly  unholy,  and  mull  ftand  by  j  as  if  all 
others  were  neither  pofTeffed  of  the  anfwer  of  agood 

confcience 
*  P/ov.  xii.  25.  f  St.  Mark  x.  14. 


$2-  A   SCHISM    IN    THE    CHURCH. 

confcienee  in  regard  to  baptifm,  nor  fit  t<^be  the 
fubjeds  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  ? 

Thefe,  in  connexion  with  all  the  plain  cafes  in 
the  preceding  letters,  I  fubmit  for  decifion,  not  be- 
fore only  a  few  difputed  verfes  on  baptifm  ;  but 
chiefly  at  the  bar  of  that  ftupendous  fyftem  of  truth, 
of  which  the  church  is  the  pillar  and  ground. 
May  fallible  creatures  reverence  the  majefty  of  the 
truth,  and  give  glory  to  the  God  of  peace. 

I  am,  &c. 


LETTER  VI. 

Clofe  communion  makes  a  fch'ifm  in  the  church,  is  without, 
and  contrary  to,  Scripture,  and  is  in  direcl  oppofition  to 
the  fpirit  of  brotherly  love  in  the  pious  brethren  among 
the  Baptifts. 

Beloved  Brethren. 

IT  ought  to  be  deeply  impreiTed  on  our  minds, 
that,  if  the  remarks  in  the  preceding  letters  be, 
on  the  whole,  agreeable  to  the  proportion  of  faith,* 
it  will  be  impoilible  to  acquit  the  clofe  communio- 
nifts  from  the  charge  of  making  a  fchifm  in  the 
church  of  God.  Should  we  plead,  that  the  Bap- 
tift  denomination  is  exclufively  "  the  one  body," 
and  that  the)'- only  have  the  "  one  Spirit,  one  Lord, 
one  faith,  one  baptifm,  and  one  God  and  Father  of 
all,"t  we  fhould  doubtlefs  make  a  fchifm  in  that 
vilible  church,  which  is  the  pillar  and  ground  of  the 
truth.  For,  in  fact,  the  vifible  church  is  to  be  de- 
fignated  and  afcertained  by  this  capital  circum- 
ftance,  of  fupporting  the  truth  and  ivorfhip  of  God  in 
the  world.     But  the  clofe  communionifts  feparate 

and 
*  Rem.  xii.  6.  f  Eph.  iv.  4,  5. 


CLOSE    COMMUNION    WITHOUT    SCRIPTURE.     33 

and  mark  out  for  a  downfall,  the  principal  fupport 
of  divine  truth  and  worfhip ;  the  P^edobaptift 
churches. 

2.  On  the  article  of  clofe  communion,  die  Bap- 
tifts  act  without, and  in  oppofition  to,  the  Scriptures. 
"  They  judge  their  brethren  j  they  fet  at  nought 
their  brethren."} 

My  feparating  brethren,  you  are  but  a  finall 
body  compared  with  thofe  you  condemn.  Should 
an  individual  of  one  of  your  churches  condemn  all 
his  brethren,  of  as  good  characters  as  his  own, 
could  you  lee  in  him  the  leaft  trait  of  Chriftian  mo- 
defty,  not  to  name  humility  ?  Efpecially  fhould 
he  do  it  without  the  leaft  appearance  of  Scripture 
on  his  fide,  and  in  direct  oppofition  to  the  fpirit 
and  tenor  of  the  word  ?  Where  then  is  your  Scrip- 
ture warrant  to  juftify  you  in  this  cafe  of  judging 
and  condemning  your  numerous  brethren  ?  On 
what  ground  do  you  endeavour  to  difplay  the  mo- 
deft,  humble  deportment  of  the  Chriftian  ?  "  Come 
out  from  among  them,  and  be  ieparate,  faith  the 
Lord,"  &c*  and  all  fimilar  injunctions,  refer  to  a  fe- 
paration  from  idolaters,  and  from  corrupt  bodies, 
holding  the  truth  in  unrighteoufnefs. 

We  know,  indeed,  that  to  juftify  your  feparation, 
you  will  exhibit  arguments  in  favour  of  immcrfion, 
and  againft  the  infant  baptifm  of  believers.  But, 
what  is  the  ftage-work,  compared  with  the  build- 
ing which  fupports  it  ?  Thefe  arguments,  from 
immerlion,  are  extremely  weak,  compared  with  the 
arguments  againft  them,  taken  from  the  magnifi- 
cent houfe  of  God. 

Should  you  produce  even  a  "  Thus  faith  the 
Lord,"  in  favour  cf  immerjion  ;  this  would  not  prove 
that  clofe  communion  is  a  Chriftian  duty  ;  for  it  fecms 

E  impofiible 

X  Rom.  xiv.  10.  *2  Cor.  vi«  17. 


34  CLOSE    COMMUNION 

impofftble  to  fairly  infer  fuch  an  unfcriptural  fchem« 
from  the  word  of  God.  Were  I  to  think  that  the 
children  of  believers  ought  not  to  be  baptized,  and 
that  immerfion  is  the  Scripture  mode  j  ftill,  I  fee 
not  how  I  could  fairly  infer  that  I  ought  tofeparate 
royfelf  from  all  approved  Chriftians,  who  mould 
not  fee  with  my  eyes,  in  regard  to  the  ordinance. 
Bun 

Where  is  the  explicit  fcripture  for  immerfion  ? 
"We  know  not.  It  is  the  general  opinion  of  the  able 
defenders  of  the  faith  ;  it  is  the  prevailing  belief  of 
the  houfe  of  God,  of  the  church  of  the  living  God  j 
and  the  belief  is  infcribed  in  capitals  on  the  pillar  of 
the  truth  ;  that  infant  baptifm  by  fprinkling  has 
the  weight  of  Scripture  on  its  fide  ;  and  that  a 
*  Thus  faith  the  Lord  "  is  not  written  for  immer- 
fion. 

We  know  that  the  truth  or  a  queftion  is  not  to 
be  decided  by  the  majority,  or  by  the  number  vot- 
ing. But  when  truth  in  general,  and  weight  of  cha- 
racter, and  religion,  have  lor  ages  been  on  the  fide  of 
the  majority,  it  gives  great  weight  to  their  judg- 
ment on  the  queftion. 

The  Paedobaptifts,  as  well  as  Baptifts,  hold  to 
believers'  baptifm.  Whether  the  hovfeholds  of  be- 
lievers mould  be  baptized,  and  in  what  mode,  are 
the  two  queftions,  and  the  only  ones,  in  difpute. 
In  regard  to  the  baptifm  of  converts,  who  have  not 
been  baptized  in  their  infancy,  which  was  the  cafe 
withthe  converts  mentioned  in  theAcls  of  the  Apof- 
tles,  we  have  the  clear,  explicit  word,  not  difputed. 
But  thefe  fections  of  Scripture  do  not  apply  to  the 
two  queftions  now  in  debate,  concerning  the  chil- 
dren of  believers,  and  concerning  the  mode  of  bap- 
tifm. On  thefe  two  queftions,  the  decifive  weight 
of  Scripture  is  againft  the  Baptifls,  much  the  great- 
er 


WITHOUT  SCRIPTURE.  35s 

er  and  mod  enlightened  part  of  the  true  church  of 
God  being  the  judges.  To  their  writings  on  the 
fubject,  I  would  refer  you. 

The  clofe  communioniits,  therefore,  have  no  clear 
explicit  fcripture,  from  which  to  infer  their  rule, 
by  which  they  feparate  from,  and  fet  at  nought 
their  brethren.  And  not  only  fo  ;  but  in  their  fe- 
paration,  they  go  in  oppcfition  to  all  the  fcripture 
difplayed  againit  them  in  the  church  of  God,  as  it 
has  in  fome  degree  appeared  in  the  preceding  let- 
ters. 

3.  The  fcheme  of  clofe  communion,  it  is  prefum- 
ed,  is  oppofed  to  the  fpirit  of  brotherly  love  in  the 
pious  brethren  among  the  Baptifts.  They  are  taught 
of  God  to  love  all  the  brethren,  who  appear  to  bear 
the  image  of  Chnft.  But  they  are  taught  of  men  to 
feparate  from  all,  who  fee  not  with  them,  as  it  re- 
i peels  baptifm.  In  thisftrait  between  the  teaching 
of  God,  and  the  teaching  of  men,  they  muft  feel  in 
a  degree  unhappy.  But  for  the  truth  of  this,  I 
would  appeal  to  their  experience.  If  any  take  a 
pleafure  in  the  fcparation,  they  have  reafen  to  quef- 
Von  the  truth  of  their  religious  profeffion. 

J  am,  &c. 


LETTER 


35  THE    MAIN 


LETTER  VII. 

The  difcujjions  in  the  preceding   Letters  unite  td  prov& 
one  point.     The  main  inference.     The  conclufion. 

Christian  Brethren, 

FROM  definitions  in  Letter  I ;  from  the  defign 
of  the  church  difcuffed  in  Letter  II  j  from  the 
defcriptions  and  promifes  relative  to  the  church,  in 
Letter  III ;  from  the  concefiions  in  Letter  IV ;  from 
the  feilowfhip  of  Chrift,  and  his  works  of  grace, 
difcuiTed  in  Letter  V  ;  from  the  objections  ftated 
againir.  clofe  communion,  in  Letter  VI  ;  from  the 
united  influence  of  all  the  above,  I  feel  juilified  in 
ajfunung  it  as  proved,  that  clofe  communion  is  a  prac- 
tice unfcriptural,  unchriftian,  and  of  a  bad  tenden- 
cy in  the  CHURCH  OF  GOD  :  That,  therefore, 
all  the  friends  of  Zion  ought  to  appear  agahifl  it.  And 
hence  I  infer, 

That  thoie  principles  are  unfcriptural,  from 
which  clofe  communion  is  inferred  to  be  a  duty. 
It  is  only  by  inference,  that  the  Baptifts  prove  clofe 
communion  to  be  a  duty.  But  we  have  proved 
this  communion  to  be  corrupt  fruit :  it  is  therefore 
the  fruit  of  a  corrupt  branch  :  fuch  evil  fruit  can- 
not be  fuppofed  to  be  the  production  of  a  tree  of 
the  Lord's  planting. 

It  is  from  their  peculiar  ideas  ofbaptifm,  that  the 
Baptiils  infer  their  clofe  communion  fyftem.  If 
therefore  they  fairly  infer  it,  it  of  confequence  proves 
their  peculiar  ideas  of  baptifm  to  be  unfcriptural. 
But  poifibly  the  feparating  fcheme  is  not  fairly  in- 
ferred from  their  baptifm.  In  this  cafe,  we  entreat 
them  to  abandon  their  clofe  communion,  to  fave 

their 


INFERENCE.  37 

their  baptifm  from  the  imputation  of  being  a  cor* 
rupt  branch. 

There  feems  evidently  fomething  wrong  in  the 
Baptift  peculiar  fentiment  on  baptifm  ;  or  it  would 
not  be  a  branch  producing  fuch  fruit,  as  but  few 
believers  of  a  good  tafte  can  relifh.  Does  their  er- 
ror confift  in  fuppofing  that  the  ejfence  of  baptifm  is 
in  the  mode — in  immerfion  ? 

If  the  clofe  communionifts  will,  however,  pro- 
ceed to  infift,  that  they  have  a  few  clear,  explicit 
texts  to  prove  the  truth  of  their  way  of  baptilm, 
and  that  they  muft  hold  their  feparating  fyftem ;  I 
would  remind  them,  that  many  other  denomina- 
tions claim  a  few  clear  texts  of  Scripture,  to  fupport 
their  peculiar  tenets.  The  Friends  claim  to  have 
fcripture  in  their  favour,  as  exprefs  as  language  can 
be  made.  The  Socinians  claim  to  have  fcripture,  di- 
rect to  the  point,  to  prove  that  Jefus  Chrift  is  not 
God.  The  Univerfalijis  claim  explicit  fcripture,  to 
prove  that  all  men  will  be  faved. 

My  Brethren  j  This  plan  of  oppofing  a  few  verf- 
es  to  the  fpirit  and  evident  general  tenor  of  the 
word,  has  numerous  advocates :  it  favours  error, 
and  is  unfriendly  to  the  truth.  O  fee  that  every 
important  tenet  you  adopt  is  in  harmony  with  that 
great  fyftem  of  truth,  of  which  the  church  of  God 
is  the  pillar.  Let  none  of  your  fentiments  be  of 
that  feparating  kind,  which  would  compel  you  to 
fet  yourfelves  up  againft  the  principal  churches  of 
the  Lord  in  the  world. 

How  vain  is  it  to  claim  a  few  verfes  of  fcripture 
for  the  defence  of  an  evil  practice,  which  is  con- 
demned by  all  fcripture  ! !  Such  is  the  practice  of 
clofe  communion.  If  it  be  pofiible  to  praclife 
immerfion,  without  feparating  from  the  body  of 
Chrift  j  then,  lor  the  lake  of  the  things  more  ex- 
cellent, 


38  CONCLUSION. 

cellent,  may  the  Baptift  brethren  be  difpofed  tcx 
give  up  this  communion,  fo  unfcriptural,  fo  unchar- 
itable. But,  if  they  will  hold  and  defend  it,  as  the 
genuine  fruit  of  the  Baptift  branch  ;  then  the 
branch,  their  immerlion,  muft  fuffer  the  imputa- 
tion of  all  the  evils,  which  the  truth  places  to  the  ac- 
count cf  clofe  communion. 

In  clofing  my  addrefs  to  you,  My  Brethren,  I 
have  only  to  requeft,  that,  in  an  even  balance,  you 
would,  with  prayer,  and  impartiality,  weigh  what 
I  have  offered.  Such  indeed  are  my  views  of  hu- 
man nature,  that  1  fear  the  men  of  zeal,  in  the  clofe 
communion  caufe,  will  not  give  my  addreffes  that 
deliberate  hearing,  which  the  importance  of  the  fub- 
jecl:  demands. 

It  is  chiefly  to  the  inquiring,  who  are  open  to  con- 
viction, I  am  encouraged  to  fpeak,  as  to  noble  Be- 
reans,  who  fearch  the  fcripturcs  daily,  to  fee  whe- 
ther thefe  things  are  fo.  You  have  perhaps  attend- 
ed confiderably  to  both  fides  of  the  queftion  on 
baptifm,  as  it  has  been  difcuffed  by  the  Paedobaptift 
and  Baptift  authors.  In  reading  them  alternately, 
your  minds  have  perhaps  been  vibrating  between 
the  two  fchemes.  I  fliould  gladly  come  to  your  aid. 
And  that  I  may  be  lure  of  guiding  you  into  the 
right  way,  I  have  taken  for  my  own  guide  the 
great,  undifputed  doctrines  of  the  gofpel,  as  they 
are  fupported  by  the  church  of  God,  the  pillar  and 
ground  of  the  truth.  The  arguments  and  conclu- 
fions  refulting  from  them  againft  clofe  communion, 
I  fubmit  to  your  confederation,  praying  that  you 
may  not  fail  to  fearch  the  fcriptures,  that  you  may 
give  them  only  their  due  weight. 

And  if  you  are  taught  of  God  to  love  his  people, 
and  to  follow  Chrift  in  holding  fellowship  with 
them,  I  have  no  heikancy  in  believing,  that  you 

wiU 


conclusion.  39 

V/ill  appear  againft  the  principles  and  practice  of 
clofe  communion.  At  the  fame  time,  you  will  con- 
ceive that  the  foregoing  addreffes  are  not  defigned 
as  the  direct  and  main  arguments  on  the  Paedobap- 
tift  fide  of  the  queflion  on  baptifm.  Their  chief 
defign  is,  to  expofe  and  remove  the  error  of  clofe 
communion.  So  far  as  they  touch  the  queftion  on 
baptifm,  they  are  defigned  only  as  arguments  in 
addition  to  thofe  direct  ones  already  offered  by  the 
profeiled  writers  on  the  fubject ;  to  help  the  quef- 
tion to  a  decifion  on  the  ground  of  truth.  Since 
the  Baptiji  febeme,  in  fact,  and  according  to  their  ac- 
knowledgment, produces  clofe  communion,  and 
fmce  the  Padobaptiji  fcheme,  in  fact,  harmonizes  with 
the  great  fyftem  of  practical  truth,  and  permits  all 
its  friends  to  follow  Chrift,  in  fellowfhip  with  all 
who  know  and  love  the  truth  ;  you  will  conclude, 
my  dear  inquiring  brethren,  that  the  Paedobaptifts 
appear  to  have  the  truth  on  their  fide  of  the  quef- 
lion. 

I  remain, 

Chriftian  Brethren, 

With  much  affection, 

Your  Brother,  and 

Servant  in  the  Gofpel, 

RUFUS  ANDERSON. 


t 


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